“As surely as the LORD your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
A widow, depressed because of the drought and famine in the land and because of the emptiness of her kitchen, decided to make one last loaf of bread for herself and her son before they die. Elijah asked her to make him a small loaf first so that her supply of flour and oil would never run out until it rained again.
That makes me think of the verse in Exodus 22:22, “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.” But in 1 Kings 17:7-24, Elijah never intended to take advantage of her. He was obeying God, and he wanted to bless her and prosper her by helping her act on her faith in God.
Staring at empty shelves in the fridge makes you feel the emptiness in your belly. If you had practically nothing in your kitchen, would you do as this widow did and plan your last meal? Or would you spend time reading the Bible, listening to God, and worshiping him rather than focusing on your lack?
God is more real than the lack in your life. When God is more real to you than what you feel, it’s easier to trust and listen to his plan.
The widow had to obey God’s plan as spoken by the prophet. You can obey God when you learn to listen to him. You can listen to him better when you stop listening to the distracting noise of lack in your life.
The widow and her son who were given a second chance to live out their faith in God had to change the way they were living in order to take advantage of the lessons learned from the prophet. When we get a second chance, we have to take the “do-over” seriously. We have to change something in how we respond to the situation or we’ll waste the opportunity.
Today, you and I must take a look at lessons we learn in life and make changes in order to apply those life lessons.
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